Never Fades Away
by Cassidy Alice
Summary: When he left, he unknowingly took a part of her with him. But his prescence just never seemed to fade.
1. The Mask

Disclaimer: I own nothing. :(

* * *

Chapter I- The Mask

The cold air felt good as it crept underneath her thin layers. It made her feel alive as it swirled around her and blew strands of her hair into her face. But she could never stand it for long. It always seemed to taunt her, remind her of things she had long ago buried into the recesses of her mind. Normally, she was good at blocking painful memories, but now, she was sick of everything. There were days when she would lock herself in her room for hours on end and do nothing. There were days when the minutes passed so slowly it made her want to cry. She was tired of everything.

The sun was just rising, as the old woman dragged her tired body to the hill where her granddaughter stood. For the first time in a long time, she was worried about her. It had been a long time since Katara had given her anything to worry about.

"They will return soon." Kanna said, gazing at her granddaughter.

Though she didn't say it, her eyes did. _You lie_, they seemed to say. _You lie to make me happy but it doesn't work._

The sun was blinding, yet it did nothing to warm her. She was still freezing after running as fast as her old bones could carry her. The old woman sighed

"You're being irrational."

Her granddaughter didn't say anything.

"Katara, you're getting worked up over nothing."

Ice blue eyes glanced at her. "They left me behind. I've always gone with them."

"Your father and you're brother will be back soon."

"I know, but it's still unfair."

"You're running away from _your _problems." It wasn't a question.

The waterbender nodded. "I'm running away because I can't stand it, anymore."

"You've never run away before."

"I've never had to." The waterbender replied before turning her back on the ocean and walking back to her village.

* * *

When he laughed, she wanted to cry. She couldn't spend another minute like this, let alone a month. Just the thought of spending another month listening to suitors ask for her hand was revolting. She wanted to leave, to run far away but her sense of duty kept her rooted. She couldn't leave her grandparents and the village, not when they needed her. But it certainly didn't help that everywhere she went, she wish a certain airbender was with her.

He laughed again and her vision became cloudy as tears of frustration threatened to spill. Without apologizing, she got up and ran out of the house and out onto the frozen tundra. Tears blurred her vision until she lost all sense of direction, but she no longer cared. She sank down into the cold snow and wept for the first time in years.

"I didn't think my future wife could be this weak," the young man said, coming to stand behind her. "You're acting like a child."

She turned on him then, eyes glowing with anger he suddenly feared, and in one fluid movement, he was sprawled on the hard ice, his head throbbing and his vision cloudy. For a moment, he pictured her in his house, standing quietly in the shadows never letting him come near and never taking her eyes off him. But the image faded quickly.

He struggled to get up and she let him. He knew she could read the surprise written on his face, but he was shocked. He had released something within her, something that turned the enchanting, gentle young woman into a wild one, perhaps even more beautiful than before. And he wanted her more than ever. But she read the hunger in his eyes and stood there defiantly, her ice blue eyes glazed with resentment.

"Please," he said, gently, holding out his hand to her. "Come back inside."

She shook her head, not trusting herself to talk.

"Please," be begged. He was met with the receiving end of a water whip. "Katara…"

"Go away." The tears were starting to fall once again.

"You're nothing but a child," he muttered half in satisfaction and half in disgust. For the second time that night, he was at her mercy. All around him, the ice began to crack, threatening to give way and he shot an alarmed glance at her.

"You could kill me," he cried.

"I won't, unless you make me."

"Katara…"

"Leave."

"No," he replied. "I am not leaving you to die out here." Without warning, his legs jerked out from under him and he was walking as if some invisible force was moving his legs for him. He cried out in fear. "What are you doing?"

Katara's hand fell to her sides and he stopped moving. He understood then. That wild, beautiful, amazing young woman was powerful; she controlled forces beyond his comprehension. More importantly, however, she wore a mask. The weakness, the fragility he saw were nothing more than facades she maintained for some mysterious reason of her own. Beneath that, she was stronger than he had ever imagined. She couldn't be broken; she couldn't be made to see that he was the one for her. So regretfully, he cast her one last glance and walked away. His figure was nothing more than a tiny dot on the horizon when she began sobbing again.

* * *

Pakku was rather helpless when it came to Katara. He had always considered himself to be obstinate, but he soon found that his stubbornness was nothing compared to Katara's. Perhaps that was why he never really bothered to talk to her when she was behaving like this. He knew that time alone would change her but until then, he was content to let Kanna soothe the young woman. He would help her in his own way.

Several weeks ago, when Katara's behavior had really begun to alarm everyone, he had written (in secrecy of course) to a certain Kyoshi warrior, requesting help. Suki hadn't been able to take time off to help Katara, but she suggested that Toph or Zuko, or perhaps even Sokka might be able to. But Sokka was busy helping his father (and Pakku was sure he would only irritate his younger sister) and the Blind Bandit would truly be blind in the South Pole so she had politely declined. Fire Lord Zuko had sent back a short letter, which, for the most part, Pakku hadn't been able to read, but he managed to read enough to know that the young man was "swamped with work." So he had written to a certain airbender hoping (and almost knowing) that he could be counted upon.

That was how Kanna found the young Avatar in the house, talking to a rather worried Pakku.

"I didn't know you were coming," she said to the young man.

"It's my fault," Pakku said. "I was trying to get Katara's friends over here as a surprise for her, but the other couldn't make it."

Aang shrugged. "I would have come anyway. General Iroh has a letter for you and the other members of the White Lotus." He handed the older man a piece of parchment and waited patiently while he read.

"A meeting? I don't know if I can make the trip. I'm not as young as I once was."

"Perhaps Katara or Sokka could go for you," Kanna suggested. "Speaking of which, where is that girl?"

"That's what I'm worried about," Pakku said. "She hasn't returned yet and it's started snowing. In another hour or so, there'll be a blizzard and it's far too dangerous to be outdoors."

Kanna put on her parka. "I'll check outside the house but someone will have to check the village."

Pakku looked at Aang who nodded.

"I'm sure she can't have gotten too far," Pakku muttered as he followed Kanna and Aang out the door.

"We'll find her," Kanna assured him. Aang nodded. He would have liked to believe her, but even though he had only been in the South Pole for a little time, he had a sudden feeling that something horrible had happened to the young waterbender.

* * *

It was late by the time Pakku and Kanna returned to the house. Aang was still searching the village, but they were both almost positive he would come home without her. The snow was falling harder now, and winds swirled the frozen flakes across the tundra as the blizzard ran its course. Kanna could only hope that her granddaughter had found shelter before the storm struck.

"I hope that those two have found shelter," Kanna said, sitting down before the hearth.

Pakku could only nod. The winds picked up suddenly and Pakku gave the weak fire in the hearth an ineffectual poke before the flames went out. Grumbling, he started a new fire and resumed looking out the window. At first, he couldn't make out who or what was walking the frozen tundra but as the silhouette drew nearer, he realized that the young Avatar had returned. He opened the door the airbender hurried inside with an unconscious Katara in his arms.

Kanna leapt up from the hearth with agility she didn't know she possessed. She held her granddaughter's limp hand, frantically checking for a pulse.

"She's alive," Aang said. "But barely."

"What happened? Was it foul play?" Pakku asked.

"I doubt it," the Avatar replied. "There were no signs of it and Katara can defend herself."

"Take her to her room," Kanna instructed. "I'll make some soup." She disappeared into the kitchen, wondering how on earth she was going to explain this to Hakoda if he came back.


	2. Mistaken

Chapter II: Mistaken

It was an abyss of darkness; that was the only way to describe it. A void of blackness that threatened to consume her. She felt herself moving through the dark, searching for any sign of light, but she found nothing. So she sat in the darkness and let the tears fall.

"Cry like the girl you never were," a voice taunted. "Cry like the weak, helpless person you _are_."

Dull blue eyes fixed on an apparition hovering in the inky void. "What are you?"

"I am what you have made me. Once, I was a glorious ruler but now, I am stripped of everything. My crown, my kingdom, my power, my daughter…all gone."

She said nothing.

"Do you know who I am?"

She nodded.

"Good."

She saw the fire before she felt the heat, but it wasn't long before she felt like she was suffocating. Everywhere she turned, orange tendrils lashed out at her, burning her hands and feet. The heat was unbearable within seconds, she was engulfed in flames.

* * *

Kanna stared sympathetically at her granddaughter. Katara's figure seemed lost underneath the blankets on her bed. Despite the warmth of the room, Katara was shivering in her sleep and her hands were icy cold but at the same time, she was burning with fever. Absent-mindedly, she placed a cold cloth on her granddaughter before letting her gaze linger on the sleeping figure huddled in the corner of the room. Aang hadn't left Katara's side since his arrival, even though Katara had rarely woken up. Kanna smiled sadly to herself. The two reminded her so much of Kya and Hakoda.

A strange sort of uneasiness overcame her then. Katara had always been a strong, healthy girl, but it seemed that being out in that storm had taken its toll on her. She looked so tired and weak, like a helpless little child suffering from a deadly illness. If she succumbed to the sickness, Kanna wasn't sure what she would do. She didn't like to think like that, but she had to be practical. When Aang had brought her in, he had said she was barely alive and he had been right. Another five minutes out in that storm could have killed her. But now, battling fever, her chances of survival weren't that much better.

She didn't need to be told that her granddaughter was in love with the Avatar. She had noticed it the day they had returned from the Fire Nation, all those years ago. Katara had been cheerful enough until Aang and that earthbender with a funny name had decided to leave. When they left, it was as if she had gone with them. Kanna no longer saw the optimistic, energetic girl in Katara that had been there when she first left the South Pole. Instead, she saw a sad young woman who seemed more and more like a stranger. And she had been like that ever since. Aang was back now, even if only for a while, and Katara was sick. If Katara slipped away now, Kanna could have sworn that Aang would be much like Hakoda was when he had lost Kya.

Katara shivered in her sleep and Kanna drew up the covers on her bed.

"She won't die."

Kanna looked up to find the airbender gazing at her.

You don't know that," she answered as Katara coughed violently.

"Katara's strong; she won't die."

"You want to believe that she _can't_ die," Kanna said. "But these things happen. Many have died from being outside during a snowstorm."

"But she won't," he insisted.

"What makes you say that?" She wanted to believe him, she wanted more than anything to believe that the young Avatar was right, but she just couldn't. The Avatar might have wielded a great deal of power, but the Avatar could never control Fate.

Aang shrugged. "She's got a lot worth living for. And she won't go without a fight."

Kanna was taken aback. It really seemed that despite everything, Aang knew Katara better than she did. "Perhaps you're right."

* * *

Her dream was so sweet, it was horrible. Somewhere in all that darkness, there was light. She had never wanted anything as badly as she wanted that light. And Aang was guiding her to it. But when she stepped into the light, he stepped back into the shadows.

_Where are you going?_ She cried.

_I don't belong there._

_But…_

_You're better off without me. _

_You can't. You can't break me._

_I would only hurt you. _And he took off with no other explanation.

_Please don't leave me,_ she whispered as the tears began falling again.

When she woke up, her pillow was stained with tears. She hadn't realized she had been crying in her sleep. Angrily, she wiped any tears that lingered on her face. Her head was pounding and she was trying to fight off unconsciousness but all she could think about was her dream. Where did Aang get the stupid idea that leaving would help her? And since when was she better off without him?

"Katara?"

She could have sworn she saw Aang standing in her room, but dark spots were clouding her vision. She was so tired it was an effort for her to even speak. She mumbled something incoherent before the darkness came to claim her once again.

When she awoke again, the room was dark save for the light from the flames in the hearth. The fire in her room was burning brightly but despite the warmth, she felt like she had fallen into the ocean; her teeth were chattering and she was shivering uncontrollably. Despite that, she got out of bed and on for the first time in days, walked out of her room. Kanna and Pakku were just entering the house, murmuring something about goodbyes and someone's journey.

"Is someone here?" Katara asked. Her grandparents exchanged glances before replying.

"Yes."

"No."

Another quick glance was exchanged.

"No."

"Yes."

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Well, which is it?"

"A friend of yours was here," Pakku said, vaguely.

"_Was _here?" Katara repeated, choking back a cough. "Who?"

Kanna didn't want Katara to be disappointed so she said the first name she could think of. "Jet." Katara had mentioned something about a boy named Jet once.

"He's dead," Katara said in between coughs. Kanna mentally berated herself. _That_ was what she had mentioned. That boy had died.

"Who was it?"

Kanna sighed and stared at her granddaughter before telling her the truth. "The Avatar," she said in a barely audible voice. She half expected Katara to be mad, but the young woman just shrugged and walked back to her room and sat down on her bed. I guess he got tired of being here, she thought as she crawled back into her bed and drifted off to sleep again. The tears came sooner this time.

* * *

**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews :)


	3. School Days

Chapter III: School Days

Pakku watched as Katara half-heartedly picked at her breakfast and tried to figure out what was wrong with her. Normally, she was cheerful in the morning, but today, she was gloomier than he had ever seen her. Perhaps it had something to do with her new job; he really couldn't tell. All Pakku knew was that Katara was acting odd.

* * *

He had just lined the students up when he noticed her approaching him and he was stunned. When Master Pakku had said he was sending another master to replace him, he assumed it would be another man, perhaps as old as Pakku himself, but instead he had sent a woman. And a rather beautiful one at that.

He had never been one to judge people, especially women, but the closer she came, the more he noticed. She was tall and thin, like most women in the tribe and carried herself about with grace. She had long brown hair that seemed so soft and he had a sudden urge to stroke it. When she looked at him, his breath caught in his throat. She had the most beautiful cerulean eyes he had ever seen and…

_Stop! _He forced himself to drop his train of thoughts. There was no way he was going to fall for her, not if he was going to be working with her for a while.

"You must be the waterbending instructor Master Pakku sent," he said.

The young woman nodded. "I'm Katara."

Falling for her was out of the question now. There was no way he could afford to fall for the chief's daughter.

"I'm Taro. I worked with Master Pakku for a while before."

Katara frowned. Pakku had forgotten to mention that she would be working with another man, and she soon found out why. Taro was tall and lean and with his short black hair, he reminded Katara of Aang when he had disguised himself in the Fire Nation all those years ago. Taro even had gray eyes like Aang but they didn't twinkle like his. In fact, Katara thought they held an expression of sadness.

"These are the students," Taro said, gesturing to a group of about ten or so lined up on the ice. Katara recognized all of them expect one.

"I'm Mei," a girl said, in a cheerful voice and Katara couldn't help but laugh a little. This girl was nothing like the other Mai she knew.

"She's a waterbender but she lived in the Earth Kingdom until now. She's never had a real master until now." Taro explained.

"I'm sixteen," Mei said. "So I've had some time to work on basics. But I'm _so_ thrilled to be working with you."

Katara sighed. It was too early for her to put up with such cheerfulness and she was still mad that Pakku had neglected to mention she'd have to work with another waterbender.

She put the group to work right away, demonstrating different moves from different levels. Taro was surprised at how easily she was able to get the students to listen to her; with Master Pakku, most listened out of fear, not because they wanted to. But Katara had somehow managed to get even the laziest boy on his feet and made him, practice waterbending moves.

He was even more surprised when she attempted to get Takaya to work on his waterbending. Taro had been working with Pakku long enough to know that insolence and laziness were not tolerated. Takaya never did anything and the only reason Pakku still attempted to teach him was because Takaya's parents had specifically requested that he learn from Pakku. Once Pakku learned that Takaya expressed no interest whatsoever in mastering the art, he had left the boy to himself. Katara, however, refused to let the boy sit and stare into space.

"Start practicing."

Taro noticed she hadn't even greeted him like she had with all the other students. Takaya just stared at her sullenly. Even though Katara was the instructor, the students treated her more like a friend than a master. Taro could only suppose that it was because the Southern Tribe was so close knit. He also reasoned that since everyone knew each other, Takaya found no need to treat Katara with respect.

"You can't make me." Takaya said, defiantly.

Katara turned to face the seventeen year old, her ice blue eyes gleaming. "Can't I?"

"You're a girl. Girls don't learn anything but healing."

"Of course."

Taro noted the sarcasm in her voice.

"You're just upset because you haven't mastered waterbending yet." Katara turned on her heel and began walking away. Takaya hurled an icicle at her, but she deflected it without turning around.

"I've mastered enough to beat you in a fight," Takaya spat.

"Then do it," Katara snapped.

Takaya hurled himself at her full force, summoning several tendrils of water, but Katara evaded each one effortlessly. He sent barrages of icicles, but they vaporized to steam long before they reached her. So Takaya used every move he knew but nothing seemed to work.

"Are you finished," Katara asked, rather coldly after ten minutes had passed.

Takaya scowled. "Not even started," He pulled a small jagged disk from his pocket. "I'm also very good at knife throwing." The flung the disk at her, but she expertly caught in between her fingers. Takaya gaped at her and Katara smiled sweetly. She would have to thank Mai for teaching her that trick.

"An expert knife thrower, huh? You seem like an amateur to me."

Takaya muttered something inaudible under his breath. "I'm not done yet."

"I think you are." In one fluid movement, Katara created a water whip and Takaya was thrown back onto the snow. Katara turned around and walked away, but Takaya wasn't ready to give up. Before Katara had a chance to react, he flung himself at her and the two came crashing down onto the hard ice.

"You obviously don't guard yourself very well," Takaya said. "You were easy to take down."

Katara glared at him and tried freeing herself from his grasp but even though he was six years younger than her, he was a lot stronger.

"I don't think it's a good idea to attack your teacher," a girl said, nervously.

"She's defenseless now," Takaya sneered, watching Katara squirm. "She couldn't hurt me if she tried."

"Don't make me," Katara snapped. "I'm not defenseless."

"Is that a threat? You better be careful, princess. I'm not as stupid as I look."

"Yeah right."

"I could take you down any day."

"You're a coward; only cowards attack from behind."

Takaya glared down at her. "And yet, I'm not the one being held down."

"Takaya, get off of her," Taro commanded. "If someone sees you, you're going to be in a lot of trouble.

"I'm sure it won't be the first time," Katara muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Takaya demanded, loosening his grip on the waterbender. That second was all she needed. Water came gushing out of cracks in the ice and hit Takaya hard, drenching him completely. Katara scrambled up and stopped the water as soon as she was sure Takaya was nowhere near her.

"How's that for defenseless."

Takaya merely shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away.

* * *

The rest of the day was uneventful compared to the morning. The younger kids were eager to learn after watching Katara fight and she helped all of them. It never failed to amaze Taro how she could inspire the kids. Even Mei, who was one of the oldest, was motivated to try. Taro smiled to himself. He was going to like these school days he spent with the chief's daughter and their small class.

Katara watched the last of her students leave before setting off towards her house. She stopped along the way, admiring the sunset. The icebergs that floated lazily in the water were glowing with the light of the setting sun and one in particular caught her attention. She moved carefully across the floating pieces of ice before landing at the base of a bowl-shaped iceberg. Even after all these years, it was still here. She took off a glove and ran her bare hand along the smooth edges of the ice. She could have sworn she heard someone speak.

_Will you go penguin sledding with me?_

But when she turned around, there was no one there.

Wonderful, she thought. I'm beginning to hallucinate and hear things already.

Suddenly, the she heard footsteps behind her and she glanced over her shoulder to see Takaya standing there. He was watching her, an amused expression on his face. She guessed it had something to do with her current location, standing on a piece of ice that seemed to have nothing special about it.

"I don't expect to be forgiven for the way I acted," Takaya said, watching her. "But I'd like you to teach me. I guess I was wrong about girls and waterbending. But in the north, all the girls heal."

"This is the South Pole. Our rules aren't as stringent."

"I can see."

"It's a wonder you and Master Pakku never got along," Katara muttered.

Takaya shrugged. "Eh, he gave up on me after the first week. I didn't do anything."

"I hope you realize that if I'm going to teach you, you're going to have to learn." Katara said as she picked her way back to her house.

"You're actually going to teach me?" It was hard to miss the incredulity in his voice.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Master Pakku wouldn't."

"I'm not Master Pakku."

"But you learned from him."

"So?"

Takaya didn't say anything.

"You've got potential," Katara admitted. "If you practice hard enough, you might actually be able to…"

"Beat you one day?"

Katara smirked. "Don't bet on it."

"You helped the Avatar master waterbending, didn't you? _He_ can beat you."

"Of course he can; he's the Avatar. But you, you're just a waterbender. So until _you_ master it, I don't think you'll be beating anyone expect beginners."

"We'll see," Takaya replied. "I'm a fast learner. See you tomorrow." Waving, he disappeared in the opposite direction and Katara shook her head, smiling. His sudden transformation was strange, but she liked the new Takaya. In a weird way, he reminded her of a combination of Sokka and Aang. She laughed softly to herself. Suddenly, these school days seemed bearable.


	4. Taunted

Chapter IV: Taunted

Sokka had only been back for a week now, but he could have sworn Katara was keeping something from him. Every time he asked her a question about what she had done while he and Hakoda had been away, she replied with a vague answer. It was almost like she was evading him to escape his questions. She would leave in the morning and return late at night after spending hours teaching waterbending.

He could have lied to himself and dismissed Katara's behavior as normal, but he was worried. Lately, she'd been helping some of the elders in the village, doing odd chores, sewing, even cooking if she had to. And Katara only kept busy when she was worried or when something was bothering her. Try as he might, Sokka couldn't get her to open up. So, one morning while Katara was out, he asked Pakku instead.

"What's wrong with Katara?" he asked, bluntly.

"I've been watching her for some time," Pakku said. "But it's hard to say. She seems normal, but every now and then, it's like her mask slips."

"Mask?" Sokka echoed.

Pakku rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me you think she's actually _that_ cheerful. I bet half the time she's pretending."

"Why on earth would Katara do that?"

Pakku shrugged. "She's been like that ever since all those suitors started showing up."

"Suitors? When did suitors start coming here?"

"Sokka, they've been coming for a while now. I'm surprised you didn't know. Your father has known for some time now."

Sokka grimaced. "The last thing we need is a bunch of jerks showing up on our doorstep."

Pakku raised an eyebrow. "I was under the impression that some of those _jerks_ were your friends."

"I know some of them," Sokka admitted. "But they're not Katara's type."

"What _is_ Katara's type?" Pakku wanted to know.

Sokka shrugged. "I honestly don't know."

"Well, there's one other thing that happened that might explain why she's behaving so oddly."

"What's that?" Sokka demanded.

"While you and your father were away, Katara was sick. Aang was here with a message for me from Iroh and so he stayed and helped us. Your grandmother and I took turns looking after her, but something or other always came up in the village and so we went to help. I don't think Aang ever once left her side."

"Where is he now?"

Pakku waved a hand. "I sent him back to Iroh. There's a White Lotus meeting but I'm too old to keep travelling so I sent Aang in my place. But I got the feeling that Katara was thought he just left without seeing her because he didn't care."

"Wouldn't she have seen him if he was here?"

"Sokka, she was out in a blizzard. When Aang brought her back, she was barely alive. She was sick for a good week or so and she barely woke up and she hardly ate. Most of the time, she was just sleeping. She woke up every now and then, but she was too weak to do much of anything. Aang left before she got better."

Sokka shuddered. For a second, he pictured his sister pale and lifeless, huddled underneath layers of blankets, but the image disappeared as quick as it came. "You really think Katara would believe something like that?"

Pakku shrugged. "It's hard to say. When she was sick, she usually slept and if she woke up, she was never awake for long. She might have seen Aang while Kanna and I were away, but I honestly don't know. But when Kanna told her that Aang was here and gone, she didn't even react."

"Katara's never gotten mad at something like that." Sokka said.

"I know," Pakku agreed. "But she didn't even say anything. We expected her to at least ask why he was here or something. But she said nothing."

Sokka sighed. "I feel like we're making a big deal out of nothing. Maybe Katara's just bored and so she's taking on extra work."

"That doesn't explain why she's evading all your questions." Pakku pointed out.

Sokka nodded. "Yeah but Katara isn't very good at this. She'll tell us eventually."

* * *

For the first time in a long time, Katara felt sick. She wanted desperately to walk away, but it was too late. He had already spotted her. Takaya turned around, his face stained with tears. Mei was lying pale and lifeless at his feet.

"I was too late," he whispered. "She was out in the snow this morning."

"She's alive," Katara replied, checking Mei for a pulse. "She'll be fine. She just needs warmth and rest."

Takaya breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought she was going to die."

"Do you love her?"

The question caught him off guard. He had only been learning under Katara for a month, but she seemed to know him like a book. He nodded.

"Does Mei know?"

"What does it matter?" Takaya said, bitterly. "Her father wants her to marry an earthbender anyway."

"You've got nothing to lose." Katara answered.

"She probably doesn't like me."

Katara frowned. Mei was an open book. She had long ago suspected that Mei liked Takaya.

"Tell her," Katara snapped. "The worst you can do is let her go without telling her."

"But…"

"Do you know what the worst feeling is? It's knowing you love someone but not being able to tell them."

"How do you know?" He whispered, lifting up his tear stained eyes to meet hers. And for the first time, Katara noticed the color. Gray, just like Aang's. She bit back a groan of frustration. It really seemed like fate was mocking her. First Taro and now Takaya; it seemed that everywhere she turned, she saw reminders and she hated it.

"I'm not letting you two ruin your lives," she said, resolutely. "Mei is going to know the truth even if I have to tell her."

"She's going to be married in six months." Takaya protested.

"I don't care. You two are not making the same mistakes I made."

"What mistakes?"Takaya asked.

Katara just shook her head. "Forget about my mistakes. Just make sure Mei gets home and keep an eye on her."

"Katara?"

"What?"

"What if Mei dies?"

"She's strong; she won't die."

"But if she does, it'll be my fault. I told her to meet me out here early so we could practice but then…"

"She won't." Katara insisted.

"Maybe she's better off without me."

Katara groaned in exasperation. "She loves you, you idiot. You both are blind. You're not better off without each other. You're just miserable. Either you tell her when she wakes up or you'll have to find a new master."

Takaya nodded and carried Mei off in the direction of her house. Katara watched them leave, wishing that the two had met sooner. Marriage tended to complicate matters and if Takaya didn't tell Mei the truth, the world would have two more miserable souls.

Taro watched Katara, his eyes shining with wonder. The way she was able to get Takaya to confess his love was simply amazing. Taro sighed. Despite everything, he had fallen head over heels for Katara. She was simply amazing; there weren't words enough to describe her. She was like an angel, and she was all his. Or so he thought. He didn't know that Katara was waiting for someone and that she would wait all her life if she had to.

"Katara?"

Katara wheeled around to face Taro. Cerulean eyes met gray ones and Katara could have sworn that it was Aang and not Taro who called her name. But it was Taro staring back at her and suddenly, she felt sick all over again. She needed to get away. She couldn't talk to him when he was looking at her like that and not after what she had just done. Takaya and Mei reminded her too much of Aang and her.

"Katara, can we talk?"

Spirits, not _that_ again. Katara took a step back. "Taro, I have to go."

"Wait…"

"No. I know what you're going to say and my answer is no."

"You don't know anything," Taro snapped, frowning. But his expression softened. "I can help you, Katara."

"You're being an idiot, Taro, and you know it."

"I know I'm not the first one to ask you, but I'm different than all those other guys."

"How?"

"I care about you."

"You don't know what you're saying, Taro. I'm not you're type."

"I know what I want."

"I'm not a prize to be won," Katara cried. "You can't expect me to…"

"I don't expect anything," Taro said. "But I'll always be waiting."

"But…"

"You can't have both of us, Katara."

"_Both_?"

"It's either me or the Avatar."

"How did…"

Taro rolled his eyes. "You're a hero; you think the whole world doesn't know?"

Katara just blinked. _The whole world_?

"You can't have him, Katara. The Avatar belongs to the world. But I'll always be here." Taro said and with a sad smile, he left her standing on the ice and walked towards his home.

_You can't have him. He belongs to the world._ The words echoed in her mind. Had she ever had him to begin with? Had he ever really been hers? Her student, perhaps, but nothing more. But then in Ba Sing Se, all those years ago…surely that meant something.

"You doubt him, don't you?" Katara turned to find Kanna standing behind her. "I heard what Taro said."

Katara looked away. "No."

"All these years haven't done a thing to improve your lying, child. You are beginning to doubt him."

Katara sighed. "No I'm not."

"You shouldn't," Kanna said, forcefully. "Never doubt that which has been constant in your life. You're friends have always been there for you, Katara, and they always will be, so don't ever think otherwise."

"He belongs to the world, Gran."

"So? Why should you care when his heart belongs to you?"


	5. Unbreakable

Chapter V: Unbreakable

She runs. In the absence of light, it is all she can do. So she pushes through the darkness, one foot in front of the other, faster and faster until it seems like she is running like water cascading over a cliff. And suddenly, she falls. There is nothing to stop her, no one to catch her; nothing but the black abyss that welcomes her with open arms. She closes her eyes, waiting for the impact that will rob her body of its bones, but much to her surprise, nothing happens. She opens her eyes. She is floating, suspended in midair with nothing around her. For one glorious moment, she feels like she's flying but then she's spiraling down again.

She lands on a mound of earth, completely unharmed. And it begins to rain. Big, crimson drops that feel cold against her skin. She holds out her hand and shudders as the drops collect in her palm and stain her white dress. Blood. She begins running again, but she cannot escape the rain, the ceaseless downpour of blood. And lurking in the shadows, she sees an old woman.

"Poor Katara. Look at what they've done to you. They've fed you lies."

She doesn't see who speaks.

"You're only purpose is to kill, child. Kill those who have wronged you, kill the man who took your mother."

Something cold is pressed into her hand and the blade of a dagger glints in the gray light. Immediately, she thrusts it aside.

"Lies," she whispers. "You can't turn me into the monster you are."

"Is that really what you think of me?" The old woman laughs. "I'm doing what you are too weak to do." Her eyes shine with anger and hate.

"There is peace."

"Peace? Look around you, Katara. There is nothing but suffering. You brought this upon the world when you helped the Avatar. You are the monster, not me."

"Once, I would have believed you. But now, your words mean nothing. You can't break me like you once did."

"I don't need to break you, child. The Avatar doesn't need my help for that."

Aang. And she freezes. "Say what you like; you'll never break me. Not this way." And just like that, Katara wakes up.

* * *

"Katara, will you get that foul bird out of this house?" Kanna cried, trying to chase away the messenger hawk that sat on the table. The bird cocked its head to one side and blinked calmly as Kanna waved her broom at it.

Katara laughed. "It's only a bird, Gran. And it's got a message for Pakku."

The old man looked up when she said his name. "For me? That's strange." He took the letter from her as she made her way out the door.

"What is it?" Kanna asked, noticing Pakku's frown.

"Not good news," he muttered, hastily scribbling back a reply. Kanna was asking him something about paper, but his mind was much too preoccupied with what he had just read to hear. All he could think about was the letter and what was written in it. Sealing his reply, he stuffed it into the bird's carrying container and sent it back to the Fire Nation. Aang needed to be alerted.

* * *

Disgust wasn't a strong enough word. There weren't words enough she could use to describe what she felt. Everywhere she turned, smiling faces greeted her. Fools, she thought. How could they be happy with this illusion of peace? There wasn't peace, at least not the kind of peace she had dreamed of when the war had still been in its infancy. That kind of peace wasn't fragile; it wasn't an illusion like this horrid thing the world called _peace._

There were days when she honestly wanted to give up, to stop trying but there was too much at stake. After seventy odd years of avenging what had been taken from her, she couldn't stop. Not now, not ever. Stopping was out of the question because when she stopped, she began to think. And when she thought, she began to doubt. That was when it seemed like she was truly insane, when the little thing inside called conscience started screaming at her. And she couldn't afford to snap just yet. She had too much riding on this one mission.

He found her rather easily. She was standing in the shadows, staring out at the open water and letting the wind play with her hair. She nodded to him and followed him to the stern of the ship where no one was.

"Are you willing to do this?" She asked.

He nodded. "Provided that you let me have what I want."

She smiled, her silver eyes sparkling in a manner that he found rather unsettling. "But of course. I have no use for him. He's only bait but you may do what you like with him after we take him."

"You are sure your arts won't fail you?"

"I'm returning to the origin of my arts; there is plenty of fuel to keep my arts strong."

"But the lunar cycle?"

"It doesn't matter. If it is a full moon, we have a little advantage but if not, our chances are not weakened."

He grunted. "And if this doesn't work?"

She cackled. "You knew the answer when you agreed to work with me. If you get caught, you're on your own. And if I get caught…well, whether you decide to help me or not is your choice but I wouldn't do the same."

"I thought as much." And Long Feng walked away with the realization that he didn't like old ladies very much.

Hours later, as she sat alone in the dimness of the closet that was called a cabin, she thought about home. After decades of exile, she was returning. Her motives though, weren't as pure as they seemed. Left to her, she would have stayed in the Fire Nation for the rest of her life. But a certain someone was living contentedly back home and she just couldn't allow that.

Katara. Just thinking of the young waterbender made her blood boil within her. That stupid girl had learned the art and as far as she could tell, she had never once used it. But it didn't make her as mad as the opportunity she had missed. That boy Katara had been with was the Avatar and one a cool night nine years ago, _she_ had a chance to kill him. Katara, her brother, and that boy were all at her mercy and she had a once in a lifetime chance of killing the Avatar, and she had just let it slip by. But now, everything was going to be different. Katara would take her to the Avatar and just like Katara had hurt her, she was going to hurt Katara.

She still couldn't forgive the girl for her betrayal. After everything she had done, everything she had put into teaching her, Katara had rejected her. And that stupid, foolish girl had helped the Avatar restore a balance that was so fragile that it was practically chaos. Worst of all, neither Katara nor the Avatar or any of their company thought if fit to punish the Fire Nation for a hundred years of pain and suffering. In fact, if she recalled correctly, they were working _with_ the devils. And knowing that made her livid. She glanced out the tiny window of her cabin and watched as the horizon and loomed nearer and nearer and as her frown turned into a wicked smile.

Sing and dance, Katara. Your days are numbered.

* * *

Zuko jumped as the sound of glass breaking echoed throughout the palace. For the love of all that's sacred, he thought as he marched into one of the palace's many rooms.

"What are you doing?" he demanded of one of his advisors. The man was standing there and quaking.

"Fire Lord, sir," he said, awkwardly. "There's letter for you and it's not good. And there's one for the Avatar."

"Where is it?"

"He's reading it, sir."

Zuko nodded. He would find out what was so bad from Aang. At the moment, his advisor was in such shock that Zuko doubted he could find out anything from him.

The letter in Aang's hand was illegible in many places; it looked like somehow water had smudged the ink, but he was able to make out the word _danger_. The following words were smudged but he managed to grasp that _someone_ was in danger. Brows furrowed, he gradually deciphered the few letters that remained legible. Ktra. And his heart missed a beat. _Katara._

* * *

By the time Katara was done, her hands were cut and bleeding. The tiny sharp pieces of the weapon were in a heap upon the snow and Mei was working furiously trying to bury them so no one else could get hurt. Takaya was lying on the cold snow, pale and barely breathing.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Mei said, wiping away a few tears. "It wasn't supposed to turn out like this."

Katara grimaced. "It's life; no one ever said it was going to be easy."

"I know."

"Mei, why on earth did you two decide to run away?"

"You told us to," she cried.

Katara shook her head. "I told you two to tell each other how you really feel. I never said run away." Mei kept quiet. "So why'd you do it?"

"My father was going to send me away to the Earth Kingdom to get married. We thought if we ran away, we could…"

"You'd have only made it worse," Katara said, using her waterbending to heal Takaya's arm. He winced as the cool liquid made contact with his wound. "What happened?"

"My father attacked him," Mei said, angrily.

"Your _father_?" Katara echoed.

Mei rolled her eyes. "Technically, he's my step-father."

"Why?"

"He doesn't care about me," Mei insisted. "He just wants to marry me off to some rich man's son."

Katara stared at the village a little ways off. Most of the young women were already married off to some man for the same reason. "So? He's not running your life, Mei; you are. You have to be independent."

"I'm not like you, Katara. I can't just walk in there and tell him something like that."

"Yes you can."

Mei just shook her head in disbelief. Katara, blissfully unaware that Mei thought she was somewhat crazy, began humming softly to herself as she healed Takaya's arm.

"How do you do it?" Mei whispered, suddenly.

"Do what?" Katara asked, never taking her eyes off the water she manipulated.

"How can you be so cheerful when everything's going wrong, after you've lost so much? How can you be so…unbreakable?"

Katara straightened up. "Because I choose to be. I could have spent the rest of my life moping and complaining about how much I lost, but it's not going to do anything for me. I've always been an optimist; I've always hoped that there's something better somewhere in my life."

"Do you believe that he'll come back, then?" Mei asked, vaguely.

"Who?"

"The Avatar."

Katara shrugged. "Possibly. Why?"

Mei rolled her eyes. "Katara, the whole world knows about your story. They know the Avatar left you."

"He didn't leave me," Katara snapped, her blue eyes flashing with anger. "I stayed here because I chose to."

Mei frowned. "Sure you did." She turned and gazed at the horizon. "Love is for idiots."

"It's one of the greatest weapons. It can motivate you like nothing else."

"It's for fools," Mei retorted. "All you end up with is a broken heart."

"Glad to know," Takaya muttered, gingerly getting up. Mei started to speak and then stopped. She looked ready to cry.

"You two aren't kids," Katara said. "So stop acting like it. If you're not willing to do something about your current situation, then you're never going to be happy. Believe me, nothing is worth the regret when you look back and wish you could have done something differently."

"You're speaking from experience, aren't you?" Takaya asked.

She nodded. "I know what it feels like and nothing is worth the pain or misery."

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been busy lately, but I've got some free time again :) Please review.

~ Cassidy


	6. Rotten Timing

Chapter VI: Rotten Timing

Eyes trained on the horizon, Hama paced back and forth on the deck of the ship as it sped through the arctic waters. In a few days time, she would be back home. And more importantly, she would get even with Katara and the Avatar. Their punishment would be long and torturous. She could imagine it now. The Avatar would look on as she and Katara dueled and in one glorious moment, she would win. The Avatar would watch as his precious waterbender fell at _her_ hands and just when Katara least expected it, Hama would take the Avatar captive. Of course ending his existence would have been pleasant, but she had promised Long Feng that task. Still, it gave her great pleasure knowing that she could watch Katara suffer. An evil smile worked its way across her face and she laughed to herself. By this time tomorrow, her vengeance would be complete.

From a hidden alcove on the ship, Long Feng watched the old lady, wondering why on earth he agreed to help her.

* * *

When Aang woke up the sun hadn't risen yet. Appa was flying much faster than usual, as if he sensed the Avatar's urgency. The sky was still stained with the hues of night and it was cool up in the air. Far below them, the crescent moon and twinkling stars were reflected in the sapphire waters of the ocean. Somewhere down below them, Aang noticed a tiny speck of light. A ship was speeding through the waters, headed towards the South Pole. And if the Avatar hadn't been too preoccupied thinking of a certain waterbender, he just might have noticed a tiny speck in the light that would have been the silhouette of a certain Bloodbender.

* * *

"Please tell me you're joking," Sokka said, passing a hand over his face.

"I wish I could," Zuko said. "But I'm not."

Sokka glanced back at the note Pakku had sent to Aang. "She really went back?"

"Unfortunately," Zuko sighed. "And apparently Long Feng did too. I think your swordmaster, Piandao sent Uncle a note. He must have sent another one to Pakku."

"I knew I should have stayed there for a while instead of coming back here," Sokka muttered, frowning.

"Why wouldn't Iroh just tell you?" Suki wondered.

Zuko shrugged. "Eh, you know him. If he thinks I'm too busy, he won't bother me."

"Does Azula have anything to do with this?"

Zuko shook his head. "I went to talk to her myself. She may be crazy, but she's not stupid enough to work with a man who betrayed her and I highly doubt she'd work with someone like Hama; Azula likes to be in control. She hates it when others try to make her do things."

"When's the next boat to the South Pole?" Sokka demanded.

Suki glanced at the ocean. "You'd have to take a ferry from Kyoshi Island back to the main land and then take a boat from there. Do you really think it's a good idea to go back though? You once told me Hama used you and Aang to force Katara to bloodbend."

"If Katara's in danger, there's no way I'm staying here," Sokka said. "If Hama can bloodbend, she just might try something like that again and she might actually win."

"I highly doubt it," Suki scoffed. "Katara's a master waterbender."

"And Hama's probably a master Bloodbender. She's had decades to practice the art; Katara's only used it two or three times."

Zuko shuddered. "It's creepy to watch bloodbending."

"Yeah? Well, I was on the receiving end," Sokka snapped. "And there's no way I'm letting Hama put Katara through something like that again."

"But Aang's already on his way there," Suki pointed out. "And if we leave now, the earliest we'd be there is next week."

"We?" Sokka repeated.

Suki rolled her eyes. "You didn't think I was going to stay here, did you? Katara might be your sister, but she's my friend."

"I don't think…"

"Don't you dare say I can't come because you don't think I can protect myself," Suki threatened. "I'm an elite warrior; I can handle myself just fine."

"Just let her come," Zuko said. "Believe me, after almost being attacked by Mai for saying something like that, I learned it's best to let her come along."

"I was going to say I don't think it's the best idea since Suki has a handful of new girls to train, but if she wants to come, I wasn't going to stop her."

Zuko nodded.

"Could you give us a lift there, Zuko?" Suki asked.

He shook his head. "_I _can't; sorry. After Aang told me Long Feng teamed up with Hama, my uncle suggested that we have troops in the Earth Kingdom and help the Earth King keep an eye on the Dai Li. Most of our ships are patrolling the waters around the areas."

"That's not a bad idea," Sokka admitted. "Even though no one knew what happened to Long Feng after his little stunt at Lake Laogai, it's possible he still maintained contact with his agents."

"I might be able to send a ship from the Fire Nation to take you there, but it wouldn't get here for another three days."

"And to think once you could have chased us to the South Pole in _one_ day," Sokka muttered.

Zuko grinned sheepishly.

"Maybe my dad can get there," Sokka cried, brightening up. "He should be leaving for home tomorrow."

Zuko shook his head. "Even then, he'd reach by the end of the week. He'd never make it in time. But I've got a small boat you two can use. You and Suki go to the South Pole. Mai and I'll stay here and let you know if we find anything."

Sokka nodded, his eyes glazed with determination. "Suki, help me pack. We've got a senile old woman to stop."

* * *

The stillness of the night didn't bother Katara half as much as the nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. The air was cold and biting, and the ocean waves lapped peacefully against the frozen shores but the sounds weren't soothing as they once were. Instead, they only irritated her, but she knew she was being irrational; stopping the sound of waves was beyond her control.

Unconsciously, Katara sighed and turned to look at the crescent moon that glimmered like a diamond in the sky. She hadn't seen a moon that bright since the night in Ba Sing Se when Aang had fallen. Yue's light had broken through the darkness of the night and had guided them to safety. Thinking of Yue made Katara think of Sokka and Suki. She missed them terribly, but it was comforting to know that after everything, her brother was happy. Everyone was happy, except her.

Perhaps, that was an understatement. She was happy, but she couldn't help thinking she'd be happier if Aang was there. After the war, it seemed like everyone was content; Sokka had Suki, Zuko had Mai, and Toph had made up with her parents. And Katara? Katara lost more. When Toph and Aang had left the South Pole, it was like part of her had disappeared with them. And for a while, everywhere she turned, she saw him. Those few months had been a nightmare. But after a while, their absence no longer affected her like it once did. Instead of sitting in the house and doing chores all day, she helped the other villagers. She became more social, even if she slipped into a mask every now and then.

* * *

"This isn't going to work," Hama said, as she and Long Feng got off the boat. "This is complete stupidity. I can't believe I didn't see it before."

"Nonsense; everything will be fine."

Hama spun around to face him. "Fool," she hissed. "We cannot take the Avatar captive. You're powerless here; there is no earth to bend. And I can only focus on one thing at a time. I'm not the powerful bender I once was."

"But you can't possibly change the plan now," Long Feng objected. "We're already here in the South Pole."

"We need to make minor adjustments," Hama said, firmly. "We're not trying to kill them."

"I'd like to after what they did to me," Long Feng muttered.

"We're here because the Fire Nation needs to be punished and the Avatar is standing in the way of that. So we're going to lure him here. He's probably already here; I'm sure the Fire Lord warned him."

"How exactly are you planning to lure the Avatar here?"

Hama rolled her eyes. How on earth had she thought this man was qualified? "Katara."

"The waterbender? But I thought she defeated you once."

"Keep up, you idiot. That is where you come in. You have to distract the Avatar. I don't care what it takes, but you keep him distracted until you're dead or you can't move. I'll deal with Katara."

"I still don't understand what any of this accomplishes."

Hama groaned. "I assume the Avatar will do anything for Katara. So…"

"How do you know?"

"Rumors even spread in jail cells. If we have Katara, we have leverage and the Avatar does whatever we say."

"He'd only use the Avatar State and kill us both."

"That's why I have this," Hama pulled out a small dagger. "Either he does what we say, or his precious waterbender dies."

Long Feng gaped. "I thought you said we weren't killing anyone."

"The Avatar can be quite stubborn. We need to make sure he does exactly as we say."

"_This_ is complete stupidity. There are so many flaws with this plan. The other plan wasn't much better, but at least it didn't have that many flaws."

"You wouldn't have been able to take the Avatar captive, believe me. And when you're my age, you don't have time for perfect plans when every day could be your last."

* * *

"Gran, where's Katara?"

"I think she's taking a walk, Sokka. You and Suki should rest. It must have been a long journey here and Katara's fine."

"But…"

"I know that Hama and Long Feng are coming," Kanna said. "But you two are here and if Aang's coming, I think Katara will be fine."

"It's not about protecting Katara," Sokka said. "I mean, it is, but the reason Suki and I came was to make sure Hama didn't force Katara into doing something like last time. And apparently, Hama wants revenge so she might try attacking the villagers."

"Why would she do that?"

"She hates the Fire Nation and anyone who helps them. The Water Tribes and the Fire Nation have been allies ever since Aang defeated Ozai and Zuko became Fire Lord."

"Sokka and I thought we could help the villagers in case something happened. Aang will most likely keep an eye on Katara." Suki said.

Kanna nodded. "Just be careful. Even if Hama can't bloodbend, there's plenty of water and ice around here for her to do some serious damage."

"We will be," Sokka promised.

"I told Pakku. He and some other waterbenders are keeping an eye on the village. He can help if you really need it, but he's not as young as he once was."

"We'll be fine," Suki said. "Thank you for everything." Kanna smiled and watched the two disappear into the night.

* * *

Katara blinked in surprise, a million questions running through her mind. "What's going on?" she managed, gazing at the airbender who suddenly stood before her. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"Nothing," Aang lied but Katara didn't believe him. "Can't I visit old friends?"

"Sokka's with Suki on Kyoshi Island."

Aang shook his head. "He's here Katara. With Suki."

"He can't be. My grandmother would have told me if he was coming."

"It was a last minute decision," Aang said. "He just got here a few hours ago."

"Why are you all here? Is there something going on that I don't know about?"

"There's a tiny problem." Aang admitted.

"How tiny?"

"Hama and Long Feng escaped prison and they're here in the South Pole."

"_What?_ Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"Zuko just found out a few days ago and we just got here a while ago."

"Why didn't anyone send a messenger hawk?" Katara demanded. "And why are _you_ here? I thought you were busy helping Zuko and the Earth King."

"Nice to see you too," Aang said, sarcastically.

Katara sighed. "Sorry. It's just really bad timing."

"No kidding."

"When are Hama and Long Feng supposed to get here?"

Aang shrugged. "Sometime soon."

"Any idea what they want?"

"Most likely revenge."

"Then shouldn't we be doing something?" Katara wondered.

"Sokka and Suki warned the villagers and I'm sure your grandmother must have told Master Pakku."

"At least my dad isn't here," Katara said, unaware that Hakoda stood on the deck of a small boat just a few miles away, eagerly waiting to return home.


	7. Falling Star

Chapter VII: Falling Star

Long Feng shivered in the wintry air of the South Pole and shoved his gloved hands deep into his pockets. "How on earth do you people keep from freezing here?"

Hama cackled. "You earthbenders have a weak constitution; this is considered warm for the South Pole."

"This whole thing better be over soon," the former head of the Dai Li snapped. "Otherwise, I'll freeze to death."

"Don't worry," Hama assured him. "We'll get the Avatar to help us punish the Fire Nation."

* * *

"I still can't believe no one told me any of this," Katara fumed as she and Aang began the three mile walk back to her house.

"What would you have done?"

Katara shrugged. "I don't know. But I'd have figured something out."

"You know you can't do everything."

"I had nothing to do," Katara said, evenly.

"Aren't you a waterbending teacher?" Aang asked.

Katara stopped walking. "How did you know?"

"Your grandmother told me last time I was here," he admitted.

"I should have known," she muttered.

"The last time I was here, you were out in the middle of a snowstorm. What were you thinking?"

"I don't know," Katara admitted. "People do crazy things sometimes."

"It wasn't crazy. It was stupid and dangerous."

"So what if it was?" Katara challenged. "I've done lots of stupid things before. Besides, I didn't plan on being out in the middle of a blizzard. It just happened. I was tired of everything so I went out."

"What do you mean you were tired of everything?"

She shoved her hands into her pockets and gazed at the night sky. "Suitors have been coming to my house ever since I turned sixteen. Do you have any idea how irritating they can be?"

Aang shook his head. "Most girls would be thrilled, but you're upset."

"You would be too if they all looked at you like a _thing_."

"Couldn't you have just gone away?"

"And leave my grandparents and the village alone?" Katara shook her head. "It was different back when the war was still going on. Gran and Pakku were younger and the tribe was a lot smaller. If I had gone, something might have happened."

"It certainly would be a pity if something happened to them now."

Katara turned and found Long Feng smiling eerily at them.

"Most unfortunate indeed, if something should happen."

"What do you mean?" Katara snapped. "You can't bend here."

"Of course not," Long Feng responded. "But Hama can. And I believe your grandmother is home alone. You better hurry if you want to beat Hama there."

Katara's eyes widened in shock and she took off running in the direction of her house.

Long Feng's gaze flickered from Katara's silhouette in the distance to Aang.

"You're mine now, Avatar."

* * *

By the time Katara saw her house, her sides were aching and her hair had fallen loose from the neat plait she had combed it into. She felt like she had run a marathon, but she was thankful that Hama was nowhere in sight. Or so she thought.

"Katara, haven't you blossomed," Hama said as she approached the young waterbender. "These past nine years have been good to you. The last time I saw you, you were a young fourteen year old who abused an old woman's hospitality."

"What do you want, Hama?"

"You haven't changed a bit, have you?"

"What do you want?"

"Katara, you should have known better than to do what you did."

"What did I do?" she asked in a tired voice.

"How could you turn against your people like this, Katara? You're working with the Fire Nation; it's treason."

"No it's not. This isn't the same world you grew up in, Hama. It's different. The Fire Nation isn't what it once was."

"Is this what the Avatar has done to you? How can you be so blind? Nothing about the Fire Nation has changed."

"A lot of things have changed and the Avatar had nothing to do with it."

"Tell me, is the man who killed your mother still alive?" Katara's silence seemed to answer her question. Hama shook her head. "You're a fool, Katara. I gave you a gift to use and you couldn't even use it properly."

"_A gift_?" Katara echoed. "You gave me a curse; you almost made me a monster, like you."

"A monster, am I? How very kind. And a curse. What a wonderful way to put it."

"It's not a gift," Katara replied. "I hate it."

"Why you ungrateful little…!"

"Why on earth should I be grateful for bloodbending? It's done nothing but make me feel like a monster."

Hama was livid now. "You idiot. It is anything but a curse. It…"

"What has it done for you?" Katara cried.

"Plenty of things."

Katara shook her head. "No, it's blinded you. It's made you a monster; it's clouded your judgment."

With a strangled cry, Hama thrust a thick tendril of water at Katara, knocking her onto the hard snow.

"You little ingrate. Teaching you the art was a mistake."

"It was," Katara agreed, standing up.

"Perhaps I should have taught it to the Avatar all those years ago."

"He never would have used it," Katara said, bluntly.

"You don't know that."

Katara glared at the old woman. "Aang would never bloodbend."

"Such a pity I never thought of teaching someone else. If I had a granddaughter, I would have taught her. I always wished I had a granddaughter just like you, only one that had no qualms about learning bloodbending."

Katara shuddered to think of some poor girl with a vindictive grandmother like Hama.

Hama laughed. "Do I really repulse you that much? Once, that would have hurt beyond imagination, but now, I don't care what you or anyone else thinks of me. I have a duty to fulfill."

"What?" Katara retorted. "Punish the Water Tribe?"

"Hardly. It's you I'm after, dear. You've got something I want." And without warning, the ice underneath Katara's feet began to crack. She moved out of the way just in time and parried Hama's attack. "So you're not going to back down, eh? I like a spirited fighter."

"I'm not letting you hurt anyone here," Katara said. "I've beaten you once and I can do it again. And there's no full moon; you can't bloodbend this time."

"Believe me, Katara. I don't need it. Out here, no one is watching so no one can help you." Hama laughed, unaware that two young waterbenders and a certain Water Tribe warrior were watching her, hidden behind two separate ice banks.

* * *

"You're not a very good fighter without your bending," Aang stated as Long Feng clumsily skidded on the ice.

"My skills serve my task quite well," Long Feng replied.

"Hardly."

"You seem to think so but I'm preventing you from helping your precious little waterbender."

Aang just shook his head. "Katara doesn't need my help."

"She will quite soon and it's rather unfortunate that you're stuck here."

Aang rolled his eyes.

"You see," Long Feng continued, gloating. "Hama wants something that only your little waterbending friend can give her and she'll get it one way or another."

"I wouldn't put it past her to do something like that."

"So while I have the happy pleasure of getting revenge for what you've done to me, Hama will slowly break your waterbender until she gets what she wants and then kill her." Long Feng smiled and suddenly his eyes widened with the realization that he had given away too much.

"I was just kidding," he said in a poor attempt to cover up his blunder. But it was too late. The Avatar had already encased him in ice.

"And yet you managed to keep your true nature a secret from the Earth King all those years ago." Aang said. He turned away from the frozen earthbender and instinctively looked around for his glider. He frowned as he remembered he left it on Appa's saddle. And he had let Sokka and Suki use Appa to help them protect the village. Casting one last glance at the former head of the Dai Li, Aang took off running.

* * *

Appa gave a low growl and Suki gently scratched his nose. She could tell that he was getting restless just sitting around but with Sokka off to find Katara and Aang nowhere to be found she and Appa had to stay to keep an eye on the villagers in case something happened.

"I'm sure they're all fine," she said, more to herself than to Appa. The bison gave a snort and once again turned his gaze in the direction of Katara and Sokka's house. Suki followed his gaze and prayed that everything was going all right.

* * *

"I should have disciplined you harder in the short time I was your teacher," Hama said, shielding herself from Katara's rain of ice. "Then this wouldn't be a problem."

"It wouldn't have made any difference," Katara promised, pushing a strand of her hair out of her face. "I still wouldn't have used bloodbending the way you use it."

"Of course not. Tell me, did being the chief's daughter have anything to do with your attitude? You act like you're so much better than I am but you're just a spoiled young woman."

"What does class have anything to do with this?"

"You led a comfortable life and got everything you wanted."

"You know I didn't."

"Oh that's right," Hama mocked, her eyes glazed with anger. "You didn't get your Avatar, did you?"

Katara frowned. Mei hadn't been kidding when she said the whole world knew. "He's not mine," she muttered.

"Of course not. I'm sure…" But Hama was interrupted by Kanna who had stepped out of the house to see what all the commotion was about.

"Katara, what's going on?" Kanna asked, gazing at Hama who stood a few yards away.

"Gran? You shouldn't be out here," Katara said. Hama smiled hearing the unease in the young waterbender's voice.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, Kanna? I see you've taught you're granddaughter to be just like you."

"Don't pretend you know me, Hama. You barely knew me then and you barely know me now."

"It's hardly my fault," Hama said. "They captured all the waterbenders here a month after I met you."

"You knew each other?" Katara asked.

"A little," Hama said. "But enough of this nonsense. You really should have listened to your granddaughter, Kanna." Hama said, thrusting a large orb of water at the old woman.

"No!" Katara cried. Hama suddenly whirled around and propelled the ice cold water towards Katara, throwing her back onto the snow.

"Katara." Kanna cried, rushing to help her granddaughter but Hama was quicker.

"Don't even think about it," she hissed, encasing Kanna's feet in ice. "Your granddaughter's beyond help."

Kanna gazed at Katara's figure lying on the snow. "Get up, Katara." She whispered. But Katara didn't stir. And somewhere in the heavens, a star fell.

"A pity your granddaughter is so weak," Hama said. Kanna frowned, wishing she was a waterbender so she could put Hama in her place. Much to her surprise, the icy shackles (if they could be called shackles) that kept her feet bound to the ground melted and Kanna smiled as Aang appeared.

"You're too late Avatar," Hama laughed. "Katara's beyond help."

* * *

Sokka glanced at the scene before him and bit his lip, his mind furiously working on some way to help Aang and Katara. His first plan had been to reveal himself and get to Katara, but it wasn't good enough; Hama would just freeze him up and then he'd be helpless as well. Try as he might, Sokka couldn't think of anything. So he sat in the shadows of the ice bank, his boomerang ready, and praying to Yue that she would protect his little sister and help him think of some way to help.

* * *

"Did you see what she just did?" Takaya asked, referring to Hama. "I hope Katara's alright."

"Don't think like that," Mei scolded. "She has to be alright."

"Maybe we should help," Takaya suggested.

"We'd only cause more confusion," Mei said. "Besides, we were supposed to be on a walk, remember?"

"But I can't just sit by and do nothing. That crazy old waterbender almost hurt Katara's grandmother."

"We couldn't help them even if we wanted to. Your arm is still injured."

Takaya frowned but acquiesced. "Fine. I'm sure the Avatar can handle it."

Mei gave a hard laugh. "Of course he can."

"Are you still clinging to your theory that the Avatar left Katara?"

"I'm convinced of it," Mei said. "You saw how she got angry when I mentioned it to her. He must have."

Takaya shook his head. "Mei, you're being ridiculous. If he likes her, why would he just leave her? Did you ever think that maybe Katara was telling the truth when she said she chose to stay of her own accord?"

"Then why did the Avatar leave her here?"

Takaya groaned. "He's the Avatar. He can't exactly negotiate treaties in a remote place like the South Pole. And these things take years to draft and put into effect."

Mei stared at him in amazement. "You sound like _you're _the Avatar."

Takaya grinned. "I wish I was but I know this because I spoke to Katara's brother, Sokka. He told me. Your theory couldn't have been more wrong."

"I suppose so," Mei huffed.

"I just hope Katara's okay," Takaya said, reverting his gaze back to the scene. "We have to thank her for helping us."

Mei peeked over the ice bank. "She has to be okay," she repeated, more for herself then for Takaya. "She has to."

* * *

It felt good to be home. Two months of negotiations had left Hakoda tired but now it felt wonderful to be back. Quickening his pace, he thought of his children. He didn't know if Sokka was still in the South Pole or back on Kyoshi Island, but he supposed he was alright. Katara was a different story. There were days when he honestly thought she'd do something reckless like throw herself into the ocean and other days when she was dancing around the house in pure ecstasy. He shook his head, thinking about her strange behavior. Even after all these years, he didn't know what to make of it. Katara was a puzzle he had yet to figure out and it bothered him. Once, he would have been able to read her like a book but now, he couldn't. Sometimes if he observed her long enough, it was like she was a stranger wearing his daughter's face. Sometimes, he couldn't find any resemblance between the strong young woman and the little waterbender who had scampered about the house singing songs in her sweet voice. And though he hid it well, he was scared that his daughter would no longer be the cheerful, spirited girl she once was.

* * *

"You are clearly out of your mind," Kanna cried, facing the wrinkled waterbender. "What on earth makes you think the Avatar has to listen to you?"

"I've got something he wants," Hama stated, matter-of-factly. Aang raised an eyebrow and Hama motioned to Katara.

"If she's hurt, "Kanna threatened. "You better start saying your prayers now."

"You couldn't do anything to hurt me," Hama cackled.

"You couldn't possibly know," Kanna shot back. "You've never had a granddaughter, isn't that right?"

Hama growled something incoherent and advanced towards her but retreated when orange flames reared up.

"How noble," the old waterbender sneered. "You're helping an elderly person." She laughed. "And yet you wouldn't help me?"

"You were hurting people," Aang pointed out. "There's a difference."

"The Fire Nation deserves to be punished. I had to watch as they decimated my tribe and took my brothers and sisters captive. I had to watch as they tortured them."

"That still doesn't justify what you did."

"You wouldn't think so," Hama cried, inching her way backwards so slowly that Aang didn't notice until she was standing over Katara's fallen form. "But things are about to change, Avatar. You're going to help me punish the Fire Nation for what they did."

"I won't help," Aang promised. "You can't make me."

"Can't I?" Hama wondered, brandishing a small dagger. "She doesn't have to die, Avatar."

"Hama, don't you dare…" Kanna began but Hama turned menacingly towards her.

"You're in no position to give me orders, Kanna. You say another word and I promise Katara won't ever see sunrise again."

Kanna fell silent and glared at the old woman.

"Now, Avatar, I believe it's your turn to help me."

"I'm not going to help you hurt more people."

"Then say your goodbyes." Hama crowed aiming the dagger at Katara.

"No!" Aang cried reaching out as if to stop her. Hama's hand suddenly jerked back and she glanced frantically at the dagger glinting in the moonlight.

"What's going on?" She asked. She tried to maneuver the dagger towards Katara but her arm jerked back again.

In that instant, Aang understood why Katara hated bloodbending. It was unsettling to know that you could control someone, to feel their blood running through their veins, to know that taking their life was as easy as blowing out a candle.

"Congratulations Avatar," Hama grinned. "_You're a bloodbender_."

"I wish I wasn't," was Aang's muttered reply.

Hama rolled her eyes. "You're just like Katara," she grumbled.

Aang frowned.

"You might be able to bloodbend now, Avatar, but a blade is faster than any bending. Make one wrong move and you pay the ultimate price."

"If you want something that badly, couldn't you just ask for it?" Kanna wondered.

Hama shook her head. "It doesn't work that way. The Avatar is the only one standing in the way of punishing the Fire Nation."

"Don't you think they've suffered enough?" Aang asked. "You're taking your anger out on the people when they've done nothing wrong."

"_Nothing wrong?" _Hama screeched so loudly that Kanna jumped in surprise. "How can you be so foolish? They killed your people; you're the _last _airbender. They killed the waterbenders; Katara's the _last _true Southern waterbender. They destroyed so many homes and so many lives and you say they did _nothing wrong_?"

"The people didn't do that," Aang reminded. "Fire Lord Sozin started it and Fire Lord Ozai just followed in his grandfather's footsteps. But things are different now. It might not seem like it, but there is some peace; it's better than nothing."

"If you're going to take away what I want most, then I'll take away what you want," Hama threatened. She turned to face Katara again, but couldn't move.

"Killing isn't the answer."

"Is that what your stupid monks have taught you, Avatar? Well, this is the real world and if you want to get by and get what you want, you have to fight for it and do whatever it takes. And if you have to sacrifice a soul or to, so what?"

"Listen to yourself, Hama. You sound like a monster," Kanna gazed at her and Hama could detect something like pity in Kanna's eyes.

"Save your pity for someone else," She snapped. "You're both fools if you think peace has been restored." And without warning, she attacked so fast, Aang barely dodged her assault. For a while, the only sound that filled the night was the sound of Hama and Aang waterbending at each other. But Hama was old and she was tiring quickly. But her low energy level didn't prevent her from trying one last time to do what she had intended. Summoning all her strength, she hoisted the dagger in the air and slowly brought it down. But before the dagger reached its intended victim, her arm involuntarily flung it hundreds of feet away, where the blade lodged itself firmly in the snow. Hama cursed silently and turned to find the Avatar staring at her, ready to attack.

"Save your energy," She panted, raising her hands in defeat. "I know when I'm beaten."

Kanna looked at Hama in disgust. "You're pathetic." And without another word, she strode past the old bloodbender, muttering something about a healing tonic for Katara. Hama just stared at the old woman and then at the airbender.

"You're not going to kill me?"

Aang frowned. "No."

"Thought as much," She muttered, sulking away to retrieve her dagger. "Where's that idiotic earthbender?" She called.

Aang pointed in the opposite direction and heard more grumbling before Hama's figure disappeared behind an ice bank.

* * *

"Katara?"

Katara's eyes fluttered open at the sound of her name and instinctively she flung her hand out but Aang caught it before she hit him.

He laughed. "It's just me."

Katara relaxed. "Sorry," she said as he helped her up. "What happened? Where's Hama?"

"She's went looking for Long Feng."

"What about Sokka and Suki; where are they?"

"Suki's still in the village but Sokka's here. You dad just came."

Katara gazed at the two figures a few yards away and Hakoda waved.

"Dad!" Katara cried, running to greet him. "I can't believe you're here."

Hakoda grinned. "I wasn't supposed to be here today, but I came early. Sokka told me what happened. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner."

Katara shook her head. "I'm glad you didn't. You could have gotten hurt."

"You'll never guess what happened?" Sokka said, smiling.

"What?" Katara wanted to know.

"One of the passengers on the ship Dad came on is a firebender from Zuko's elite squad. He and a bunch of other guys managed to get Long Feng." Sokka pointed to a man standing by a ship in the distance.

Hakoda shook his head. "Why would this Hama lady even think of bringing an earthbender to the South Pole? He's defenseless."'

Sokka shrugged. "Honestly, I could care less."

"I'd feel better though if they caught Hama too," Katara said.

"They're working on that," Sokka admitted. "But she's not that easy to track."

"Let's see if we can find her," Hakoda said, setting off in the direction of the village. But he didn't get very far before he heard Sokka call out his name.

"Dad, look out."

Hakoda whirled around just in time to see Sokka's boomerang collide with a dagger inches before him.

"Hama," Sokka muttered, glaring at the old lady who stood in the distance. He readied his boomerang, but Katara stopped him.

"Wait. I still have to thank her."

Sokka gaped as Katara walked over to Hama.

"Why are you trying to kill everyone?"

Hama met her gaze. "It was you I was after Katara. It was the only way I could get the Avatar to listen to me. And it failed. The Avatar took the one thing I wanted so I was going to take you. But as you can see, this whole plan failed miserably. I thought at least if I got your father, you'd suffer, but apparently, you won't seem to break."

"You can't break me; not this way."

"You're right. But the Avatar doesn't need my help with that."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Do what you will with me," Hama snapped. "But you'll see I'm right. Your Avatar is hiding something from you."

"So? It's none of my concern whether or not he hides something from me."

"You know what the sad part is?" Hama said, going off on a tangent. Her silver eyes glanced over Katara. "You had so much potential. You could have become something more than _this_."

Katara shook her head. "You're wrong."

"Of course. You still think I'm a monster."

"You've hurt people and you tried to kill others."

"I'm doing what you all are too weak to do."

"You're insane."

"Does it bother you? This is what happens when you watch everything fall apart in front of your eyes. Tonight, I was so close to getting what I wanted but then your Avatar decided to save you."

Katara started to say something but Hama cut her off. "Don't bother. I know where to go from here. I'll spend the rest of my days in a jail cell. If you had any sense at all, you'd kill me."

Katara's eyes widened with shock. "I couldn't."

"No," Hama agreed. "You're too soft."

"Right," Katara muttered.

"At least I tried," Hama said. "Years from now, when you're old and have grandchildren of your own, you can tell them bedtime stories of how you heroically defeated an insane _monster_." And without another word, Hama turned around and walked towards the sea where a firebender led her on to a ship. Katara watched as the ship sailed away, until it was nothing more than a dot on the horizon, a tiny speck lost an endless stretch of blue.

* * *

**A/N: **Thanks for all the reviews :)

~Cassidy


	8. Never Fades Away

Chapter VIII: Never Fades Away

Sokka found his sister was rather cheerful that morning as he entered her room. She was sitting on her bed, humming softly to herself while her hands rapidly sewed what looked like a dress and Sokka suppressed a sigh. Sometimes, his little sister puzzled him. He could never understand how she could be so down one day and be so cheerful the next.

"Katara? We need to talk."

She smiled at him, her blue eyes twinkling with mirth, something he hadn't seen in a long time. "What about?"

"Pakku thinks you're upset," Sokka said, sitting down beside her.

Her smile faded. "What gave him that idea?"

"He said that you where upset because of what happened when you got sick."

Katara stared blankly at him. "I have no idea what he means by that."

"He was under the impression that you thought Aang didn't care because he left without seeing you last time."

Katara waved a hand. "I was sick and being idiotic. Not the first time it's happened."

Sokka stared out the window. "So what are you going to do now?"

"What I do best."

"And that is?"

"What you call woman's work."

"So that's it? You're not going to travel or anything?"

"Where would I go?" Katara demanded.

Sokka shrugged. "You've always wanted to see the rest of the Earth Kingdom."

"I think it would be better if I stayed here. With you out on Kyoshi Island, Dad could use all the help he can get."

"What about teaching waterbending? Are you going to give that up too?"

Katara shook her head. "Someone has to replace Pakku."

"And what about Aang?"

"What about him?" Katara asked, going back to her sewing.

"Would you go with him if he asked you?"

"Why would he ask me?"

Sokka groaned. "Have you honestly deluded yourself into thinking he doesn't care?"

"No, I just…"

"He does, you know? Pakku said that when you were sick he helped them take care of you. And the other night, when Hama attacked, he saved you and Gran."

"How do you know?"

Sokka hung his head. "I was there. I was hiding, trying to think of to way to help. I didn't want to pop up and challenge Hama; with my luck, she'd have just frozen me up and left me and then we'd have all in trouble. So I didn't try to take her."

"I'm glad you didn't," Katara admitted. "But I'm sure you could have taken her if you had to."

Sokka shook his head. "Not when she's in that crazy state. She probably would have used her bloodbending if she could have."

"But she couldn't," Katara reminded. "And no one else could either."

Sokka cleared his throat and started to say something but stopped. He didn't think his sister would like what she was about to hear. "You know Aang can bloodbend."

"I guess he could if he wanted to. It wouldn't be too hard for him to learn it."

"No, I mean he can bloodbend. He _is _a bloodbender like you, Katara."

"That's ridiculous, Sokka. He would never do that."

"Katara, I think he did it for you."

"He wouldn't do that," Katara repeated.

Sokka sighed. "This is just like the time you talked yourself into thinking Jet wasn't going to blow up that dam and let all those innocent people die."

"This is different; Aang isn't like Jet."

"You're right. Jet wouldn't have gone that far to protect his friends."

"Sokka…"

"I saw him, Katara. Hama was trying to kill you and she wasn't letting Gran anywhere near you. I don't know if he meant to bloodbend or not, but he did and he saved both of you."

"There wasn't a full moon," Katara protested.

"He's the Avatar, the most powerful being on the planet. You really think something like no full moon could stop his bending?"

"But he wouldn't bloodbend, Sokka. You know him."

"Something had to be done and he did it," Sokka said, getting up. "I know it seems hard to believe, but Aang is really a bloodbender."

Katara glanced out her window at the dazzling white tundra. "He really bloodbended?" she asked in a small voice.

Sokka nodded. "I know how much you hate bloodbending, but I'm glad the art exists. Bloodbending saved your life."

* * *

As soon as the house disappeared from her view, Katara took off her mittens and her hood, letting her long hair tumble loose. The cold air nipped at her but after a week of being indoors, being outside felt so good. The sky was a cloudless blue and the snow was sparkling in the morning sunlight. The scent of the ocean drifted on an icy breeze that whipped her brown hair into her face. She smiled at the thought of Kanna catching her outside like this. She loved her grandmother but she had to admit Kanna's incessant worrying was driving her insane. She couldn't walk two feet without her grandmother fussing over her. And it certainly helped that she was treating her like a five year old instead of the twenty-three year old she was.

Suddenly, Katara felt so old. Those days of sitting huddled around a blazing fire and exchanging stories seemed so long ago. So much had changed since then. When she had been little, peace had been nothing but a dream, a thing the people clamored for but never achieved. When she was young, the Avatar had been a myth, a legend, a mysterious person who the world was waiting for but knew wasn't coming. But then she and Sokka had found him.

She had always marveled at her good luck. It could have easily been another girl who had found him, another girl who could have journeyed with him around the world. She could have easily ended up like most of the other girls in her tribe, working from dawn to dusk day after day until she got married to a random bender and moved away. The prospect of such a monotonous life disgusted her. Even if it didn't seem like it, she had always been an adventurer and the idea of being pinned down in one place wasn't very appealing. For most girls, a loving husband and a cozy home would do, but Katara wasn't like most girls. She had always longed for adventure and saving the world only increased her desire for it.

* * *

Hakoda had known for some time now that suitors had been coming to the house to see his daughter, but he had never realized just how many there were. It seemed like there was a never-ending line of young men assembled outside the house and those were just the waterbenders. There were still the earthbenders and the firebenders waiting for their chance to meet her. And it amazed Hakoda how many suitors his daughter had. I don't think Sokka had this many girls waiting for him, Hakoda thought, crumpling a rather pompous letter addressed to Katara and throwing it into the fire. Then again, Sokka had made it clear he preferred Suki over all the other girls.

"If only Katara could have done that," he muttered, burying his face in his hands. Thinking about all this made him wonder about his wife. Had Kya gone through the same thing? Had she had to sit for hours and endure suitor after suitor? He hadn't remembered quite so many suitors vying for Kya's attention. Then again, Kya had been known to be straightforward with men she didn't like. Katara was nothing like that. She could be straightforward when she wanted to, but when it came to rejecting marriage proposals, the men never seemed to take her seriously; they always came back, like the one boy Hakoda had just sent home. He was nothing like Aang because he…

Hakoda stopped his train of thought. He hadn't really noticed it, but he had been comparing all the men to Aang. It wasn't really fair because Aang had the advantage of being the Avatar, but status aside, Aang was different than all the suitors. And Hakoda knew Katara liked the airbender. He had known it since the horrible failure in the catacombs of Ba Sing Se. The memory was still imprinted clearly in his mind. Seeing the haunted look in his daughter's eyes as they waited for the Avatar to recover, had shaken him to his core. It was as if all the life had been sucked out of her, as if her world had been shattered to pieces, like she was dying within. For days, she hardly ate and at night, he could have sworn he heard her crying. But it was only a guess on his part. He never knew what had really happened behind the closed door of her room aboard that Fire Navy ship, but he did know he had no intention of ever letting his daughter become like that again.

He loved his children, but even so, it was hard for him to lie and tell all the young men that Katara was taken. He had honestly contemplated several excuses, but in the end, he hadn't had the heart to use them. So, while the young bachelors rambled on, he sat and silently prayed that the airbender would somehow put an end to all of this.

"You're wasting your time, Dad," Sokka said, entering the room. "Aang's not coming for her."

"What do you mean?" Hakoda asked. "You spoke to him?"

Sokka nodded. "He's not going to ask her to go with him."

"Why not? Your grandmother said…"

"It's not that he doesn't care," Sokka clarified. "But he told me that with all that's going on over there, Katara won't be happy. They're just drafting treaties and things like that. We both know Katara hates stuff like that."

Hakoda sighed but gave a small smile. "The world could use more people like him."

* * *

"I think I'm forgetting something," Aang said, gazing at the village in the background.

"But you didn't come with anything," Katara protested.

He shrugged. "I know, but still. I think there was something I had to do."

"Sokka told me what you did the other night."

"And?"

She surprised him by hugging him. "You're an idiot." She whispered.

He grinned. "I thought you already knew that."

"You shouldn't have done it."

He rolled his eyes. "You must be crazy."

"Why didn't you ever tell me you could bloodbend?" She pressed.

"I honestly never tried to do it until the other day," Aang admitted. "And besides, if I had told you, you'd have felt bad."

"That's not true."

Aang raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, maybe it is true," Katara sighed. "But still, you should have…"

Aang laughed. "Katara, you can't take on everyone's problems."

"I don't," Katara insisted.

He only smiled. "Who are you kidding? You've been doing that ever since we were kids."

"Old habits die hard," she quoted. "So, what are you going to do now?"

His smile faded. "I have to leave for the Earth Kingdom again."

"Oh."

Aang noticed the disappointment in her eyes and suddenly wished he could stay longer.

"You better come and visit," Katara said, brightening up a bit. "It gets lonely down here."

Aang grinned. "I will," he promised, climbing onto Appa. He waved as the sky bison disappeared into the clouds.

"Goodbye." Katara whispered.

* * *

The silence was so awkward that Katara stared at the food in front of her and half-heartedly picked at it. She was so lost in thought that she didn't realize everyone was staring at her until Pakku cleared his throat. She looked up to find six pairs of eye fixed on her and frowned, knowing where the coming conversation was going to go. And worst of all, she realized with a sinking feeling, that Sokka had gone out with Suki and wasn't there to back her up.

"What's wrong?" She asked, knowing the answer before Pakku said it.

"Are you okay?" Hakoda asked. "You seem depressed."

"I'm fine," she sighed. "Really."

"You're not very convincing," Pakku pointed out.

She shrugged. "I know but I'm running out of ways to prove to you that I'm really not depressed. I don't know what else to do."

"You could act more cheerful," Kanna suggested.

"It's hard when everyone treats me like a little girl. I know I've been acting weird these last few weeks, but acting like I'm five isn't going to help."

"Then what can we do to help?" Pakku demanded.

"You could get rid of all those suitors."

"Then what would you do?"

"Nothing. I'm not interested in doing anything but teaching waterbending," Katara said, getting up.

"But…" Hakoda began.

"Sorry, Dad," She said, giving him an apologetic smile. "I have to go or I'll be late for class."

* * *

"Katara, you're alright!" Mei cried, hugging her.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" she asked, as the energetic girl released her.

"Takaya and I saw what happened to you the other night when that crazy old lady attacked."

"Mei and I wanted to help," Takaya said. "But we didn't know what to do and my arm was still injured."

"Don't worry about it," Katara said. "You can make up for it in class."

"I've been practicing," Takaya replied, smirking at Katara. "I think I can take you in a fight."

Katara rolled her eyes. But she was smiling. "We'll see."

"You'll never guess what happened," Mei said and she blurted out the answer before Katara even had a chance to speak. "I took your advice. I told my parents the truth, just like you said I should, and my dad's okay with me and Takaya."

"_He's okay with it_?" Katara echoed. "Just like that?"

"It took some convincing," Takaya admitted. "But Mei's mother supported us."

"And I told him there was no way I was going to marry a complete stranger," Mei added. "He was furious at first, but now he's okay with it. And it's all thanks to you."

"I didn't do anything." Katara said.

"You did more than what most would do," Mei said. "If it wasn't for you, nothing would have turned out like this. Thank you."

Takaya nodded. "We owe you so much."

Katara shook her head. "You don't owe me a thing."

"But we do," Takaya insisted. Katara noticed something sparkle in his gray eyes. "If it weren't for you…"

"You two would have told each other the truth eventually," Katara interrupted. "You would have found a way."

Mei sighed, a dreamy look on her face. "I never realized how a few words could make you feel so…good. If things hadn't turned out this way, do you think we would have stopped loving each other?"

Katara shook her head. "Love never fades away."

"Is that why you keep turning all those men away?" Mei asked, softly. "Because you don't like any of them."

Katara nodded. "That and I'm not interested in getting married. Most girls get engaged by sixteen, but I didn't want to then and I don't want to now."

"So you don't love the Avatar?" Mei asked, slyly.

Katara felt herself blush. "I wouldn't tell you even if I did."

"What about another waterbender?" Takaya suggested.

"I think you two would have me fall in love with an earthbender just to talk about it," Katara said. "Why are you so interested in my life?"

"Well, I did hear that you met an earthbender named Haru," Mei teased. "Apparently, you two were quite close."

"As close as you and my brother," Katara replied. "Why are you two so bent on knowing everything about me?"

"Just curious," Takaya said. "You seem so knowledgeable about this stuff so we were curious. You once told me you made mistakes and we're just trying to figure them out so we don't repeat them."

Katara laughed. "You could have just asked instead of trying to pry it out of me."

"You wouldn't have told us."

"You're right, but prying won't get you the answers either."

"I don't understand how you can be so cheerful when the Avatar left," Mei said. "Aren't you bored here?"

"No," Katara responded, truthfully. "I actually like teaching waterbending. And so what if he's gone?"

"So you'd wait forever for someone who'll never come?"

Katara threw her head back and laughed until tears started leaking out of her eyes. "You two have a lot to learn, don't you?"

"How can you laugh about it?" Mei said. "What if the Avatar doesn't come back?"

"What if he does?" Katara challenged.

"I suppose you won't have to wait forever, but…"

"If you two were separated, you'd wait too, believe me."

"How do you know?" Takaya asked.

"Love never fades away," Katara repeated. "You won't stop loving each other just like your families won't stop loving you."

"But…"

"I think you two should start practicing," Katara said. "You have a lot to do if you're going to beat me."

Takaya grinned. "It'll happen, one day. I've been practicing, like I said."

"And I was going to help the new student, but you're back now." Mei said.

"There's a new student?"

"Yeah. He's from the Earth Kingdom, just like me. He's over there." Mei pointed to a lone figure that was practicing by the ocean. "He's not very good." Katara nodded as the boy clumsily tried to waterbend.

"I better go stop him before he hurts himself bending like that," she sighed.

Mei simply waved as she walked away.

"You must be the new student." Katara called, walking towards the figure, but she stopped when she noticed his orange and yellow robes. "Aang?"

He turned around and grinned, watching her eyes widen in surprise. "I think I need some waterbending practice and apparently the best master is in the South Pole."

Katara just gaped at him.

"Are you going to help me or not?" he wondered.

"You're the Avatar; you don't need help. And you said you were going back to the Earth Kingdom."

"I know, but like I said, I forgot something."

"What?"

"You," he replied, his eyes sparkling.

Katara's heart missed a beat. "_Me_? But I thought you…"

"Didn't care?" He finished. "Where did you get a stupid idea like that from?"

"I never said that!"

"But you believed it even when you knew love never fades."

"You heard that?" Her voice sounded so small.

He smiled. "Maybe. But either way you believed I didn't care."

She had nothing to say in response. How could she deny it? She _had_ believed it, even if only for a short while.

"You can be so silly sometimes," he said and without warning, he kissed her. Katara could have sworn she heard Mei sigh somewhere in the background but she wasn't too sure; her mind didn't seem to be functioning logically.

"Still think I don't care?"

Katara shook her head. "No," she whispered.

"I'll always love you," he said.

She smiled. "I know. Some things never fade away."

* * *

"_Love is like a song, it never fades away"_

~ Delta Goodrem, Never Fades Away

* * *

**A/N: **Thanks for all the reviews :)

~ Cassidy


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